Fire-escape



UNITEDI sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

GEORGE A. w. HTTMANN AND GEORGE KOOH KORNELIO, OE PHILADELPHIA.PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 6,155, dated March 10, 1849.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that we, GEORGE A. W. HTTMANN and GEORGE KOCH KORNELIO, ofthe city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and Improved FireEsca-pe Ladder, and that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, is a longitudinal sideelevation, and Fig. 2 a front end elevation; Fig. 3, is a horizontalplan; Fig. 4, is a longitudinal vertical section through y, y, of Fig.3; Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section through m, of Figs. 3 andf4;Fig. 6, is a longitudinal vertical section through fw, w, Fig. 3; Fig. 7is a perspective view of the tumbling shaft o, and its appendages, (Fig.3), and Fig. 8 is a general perspective view of the carriage, theelevating frame, ladder, and platform, when erected.

The principle on which we construct the elevating and supporting frameof our ladder is that of forming two or more sets, of two pairs each, offolding, jointed latticepieces, or oblique braces, capable of beingplaced at different angles with each other, or of being folded down uponeach other, in a compact form, and thus rendered 'portable in a carriagenot larger than that of an ordinary fire engine. Each of the pairs offolding pieces, or braces is connected by a bolt through its center,with a. third bar shorter than the other two, and which when the frameis elevated, and the platform or scaffold carried to its full height,stand in a vertical position while all the other frame pieces areinclined in a given angle to each other and to the horizon.

Our ladder, when elevated, is either a stair case, with the flights ofsteps alternately placed on one side and the other within the latticeframe-work, or a series of common or of flexible ladders. The wholecarriage, frame, ladder and machinery, may, when desirable, beconstructed of metal so as to be lire proof.`

The manner of elevating the frame, ladder and platform from the boX orbody of the carriage in which it is conveyed, is by turning the rightand left hand screw S, (Figs. l, 3, 4 and 5) and thereby bringing towardeach other the two horizontal sliding frames F and F, with their strongupright posts I and I (Figs. 4, 5 and 6,) by

the approach of which toward each other the lower jointed bars a a areelevated in an angle to the horizon, increasing as F and. F approacheach other, as seen in Fig. 6, and are finally brought into the positioneX- hibited in Figs. 4 and 8. At the same time that the lower jointI ofthe lattice frame is thus elevated, all the other joints a, o, o, a,elfo. will of necessity assume to each other the same angles ofinclination as that given to the lower joint, and will continue tohigher and higher angles of inclination to the horizon, until as abovementioned the frames F and F are brought into contact with each other,as in Fig. 4.

Through the middles of all the bars a', a, pass the cross bolts c, c,serving as axes of motion about which the oints of the frame.

or sets of bars are flexed. On the outer eX- tremities of these boltsare iiXed by their centers the shorter bars Z), Z). At their eX-tremities these latter bars are connected with each other by hinge-joints e, e, alternating in their directions of fleXure, and they areso adjusted in length as to stand*y erect and form one continuousupright support, when the bars a, a, have come to their highest intendedangle of elevation as seen in Figs. l and 8.

The lower pair of the bars b, is furnished each with a slot Z, in whichworks the pin s, (Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7,) which with the arm t and theflap f makes a partial rev-l olution about the tumbling shaft o, whilethe rods b, Z), are approaching to their vertical posit-ion. At themoment before reaching the latter position, the flap f, attached by theaxis o to the front edge of the frame F, by coming in Contact with themetallic strap j on the front of the fra-me F (Fig. 6) is made to assumea perfectly vertical position as seen in Fig. 4. At the same time thelower end of o, coming in contact with an offset on the notchedrevolving block G,

. which is seen inclined in Fig. 6, brings it up into the verticalposition seen in Figs. l and 4, and in that position the blockconstitutes a firm support for the vertical rod Z). Vhen the ladder isagain to be lowered the action of the screw S by separating the frames Fand F causes the small hook at the bottom of j, to draw back the flap f,and dislodge b, from its position on G. This latter movement isimportant, as without it, the action of the screw in a'horizontal diso lrection could not flux the joints c, c, (Figs. l and 8), and would onlytend to break the machine.

Fig. 8, exhibits the staircase n, with its sides a, a', ascending byalternating flights from the bottom of the carriage A, to the platformB. The entrance to A, is through a door P, at one end. The side pieces aof the ladder a, being traversed by all the bolts o, o, and d, d,constitute additional means of stifening the frame when erect, and fromthis structure and arrangement on alternate sides come into a compactform, when folded down. The hand rail g, secures the person whileascending and descending the ladder. 4While the carriage A, containingthe ladder is in motion, the wheels W, rest, of course, upon the ground;but when the ladder is to be elevated, the screws, E, may be driven downupon suitable blocks or planks of solid material or upon pavements, whenaffording the neces sary stability, thus taking the weight from thewheels. In order to secure still further the ladder and carriage fromthe danger of upsetting, quadrangular straps L, Fig. '1, are attachedbeneath the bottom of the car riage on both sides, through which longplanks or scantling may be passed, when the latter is about to beerected, and which by being blocked up at the ends give the whole agreater degree of stability in the lateral direction than it wouldotherwise possess.k A platform m Figs. 1, and 8, is placed within aspace in the bottom of the scaffold B, and is capable of being thrustforward so as t0 enter windows etc., by means of a rack g on its side,and a pinion, which matches into it and is driven by the axis and handleH. Pulleys and hooks M, serve to lower furniture or other goods from theplatform B, or they may be used to secure the platform itself to thesides of a building in a rm position.

In constructing our frames and ladders we do not limit ourselves to anyparticular proportion of parts, number ofk joints, or

kinds of materials to be employed. To render it light, we may constructit mostly of wood, or to render it ireproof may make the whole of iron.Neither do we limit ourselves to using flights of steps constructed asabove described, but may vary them by substituting ladders of any of theusual kinds, as the same shall be found most desirable. Neither do welimit the application of our ladder to the use, which may be made of itat fires, but shall employ it wherever a height greater or less is to bespeedily attained as in the repairing of buildings, the collection offruit from trees, the putting up of furniture on high walls or ceilingsand for any similar purposes. Instead of the right and left hand screwemployed to bring together the frames F and F, we contemplate using insome cases racks and pinions, in others rollers on which to wind rope orchains or we shall employ any other equivalent machinery.

Vhat we claim as our invention and de sire to secure by Letters Pate-ntisl. The manner of bringing the upright or vertical jointed bar (23,) ofthe framework herein described into their erect position by means of thetumbling shaft (0),) slot (Z,) pin (8,) arm (15,) and flap (f,) whenacted upon by the horizontal frames which are moved toward each other bya right and left `hand screw (5,) orother equivalent machinery for thepurposes herein set forth.

2. We also claim the manner of bringing into their position on thenotched revolving block (G,) and of sustaining thereby the verticaljointed bars (1),) as likewise that of removing the feet of the uprightsfrom said blocks, when the frame is to be lowered, in the manner and forthe purposes substantially as herein set forth.

GEORGE A. w. HTTMANN. GEORGE Koen KoRNELIo, JR.

Witnesses LAzENUs SHLoss, CoLMARo LEVY.

